Fix You
by fanimaniac1912
Summary: This takes place between Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. Warning: some spoilers from Civil War. Elspeth Slain is the manager of the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian, she hears about a man who keeps coming to the exhibit and staying there until he needs to be told to leave. Bucky is on a mission to find out who he is.
**Fix You**

* * *

 _This is my first fanfic. Basically, this takes place between C.A. Winter Soldier and C.A. Civil War. Each chapter is a title of a song that goes with each chapter in some way, shape, or form._

* * *

 _Fear. (Blue October) Chapter 1._

" _I'm with you... until the end of the line."_

Those words repeated in the broken man's head over and over again. He knew those words. They were so familiar. Almost as if he had said them himself. But he couldn't have... Could he? He didn't know. He had his memory wiped so many times that he must have uttered those words at _some_ point.

He stood in the **Captain America** exhibit in the _**Smithsonian**_ in civilian clothes, just staring at an old picture of himself with his name next to it. His _real_ name. Not the one he was called sometimes or an agent number. An actual name like the targets he assassinated.

 _James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes._

He read and reread the name, trying to remember the feeling of being called by that name.

"My name is James Buchanan Barnes." He murmured under his breath.

Everyone had left the museum by now. It was closing time but he barely felt the time go by as he tried to remember everything.

"My name is James Buchanan Barnes but everyone calls me 'Bucky'." He murmured again, focusing on his voice, trying to familiarize it.

"My-"

"Sir?" Said a shy voice.

He stiffened. This happened yesterday. And the day before...

"Yes?" He said hoarsely.

"We're closing and I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She said.

The Soldier turned slowly and looked at the girl.

She looked to be of someone in authority. If that was the case, why did she sound so shy?

"Sorry... I'll just-" He mumbled as he began to walk out.

"This isn't the first time you've been asked to leave in this exhibit during closing, is it?" She said quickly, stopping him in his tracks.

"No." He said quietly. "This is the fifth time."

"Which is why they sent me." She said, sounding braver than before. "You see, I'm a research specialist and the manager of this exhibit. I come here every night at closing to make sure nothing has been stolen or to see that everything is clean and maintained correctly and occasionally I help with providing the correct artifacts and giving the right facts about the people displayed in this exhibit. And so on. Usually, nothing happens. Everything is as it should be. That was until something was stolen a few months ago and recently I started hearing about the strange man who doesn't leave until he is told to. Which is a case that I am curious about." She finished as she stood directly in front of him and crossed her arms.

He struggled to find an explanation that wouldn't have her call security and make a scene that would be caught on a camera.

"I just really like this exhibit." He said, keeping his head down.

The girl tilted her head, studying him. She had only just noticed the resemblance between the man and Bucky Barnes. Surely she would have caught it much sooner if he was clean shaven and had shorter hair.

"Look..." She said with a heavy sigh. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but if I don't ask it now, it's going to haunt me."

The man looked at her with a confused expression.

"Are you a relative of Bucky's?" She asked, gesturing to the picture that he had been looking at.

The question surprised the Soldier and made him step back.

"Why do you ask?" He asked slowly.

"Because you look an awful lot like him and you keep staring at him every time you come in here." She said, crossing her arms again.

"Is it of import?" He asked softly.

She thought about it. Him not telling her was going to bother her until she learned the truth, but she shrugged it off and shook her head.

"No, but what is is you need to leave now. You are welcome back tomorrow, just be sure to leave before we close, alright?" She said with a small smile.

He nodded and walked out.

She watched as he left, feeling odd that she hadn't told him her name, but decided to not dwell on it.

"You alright, Elle?" Asked an employee.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, Liam?"

"Yeah?"

"Who was that man?"

"I dunno, he just comes in, walks straight to this exhibit, and doesn't leave until he's asked. He doesn't ask questions, doesn't talk to people, and is always alone."

Liam looked at Elle. She seemed to be concentrating on something.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"No, just call me whenever he comes in, 'kay? Make sure to tell the others who see him to call me." She said before walking to another section of the exhibit.

Liam nodded and continued with his work.

The Soldier returned in the afternoon of the next day. He walked in and went straight to the **Captain America** exhibit. An employee caught sight of him and went swiftly to call Elle.

Elle was in her apartment, jogging on her treadmill, when the employee called her. She jumped off and answered breathlessly.

"Yeah?" She said, mentally slapping herself for answering the phone so rudely.

"That guy is here again." The employee said.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes, call me if he leaves, I don't want to just arrive there for no reason." She said as she turned off the machine and walked to her bathroom to shower.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am. If anything formal, call me 'Miss Slaine.'"

"Yes, ma'am- I mean! Miss Slaine, sorry."

Elle rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Stan." She said and then hung up.

Elle arrived at the **Smithsonian** within the timely matter she had said. She greeted the front desk clerk and ran straight to the exhibit. She nodded to one of the employees and spotted the man. He was walking around, looking at other pictures and artifacts. She saw that he was listening to ear-buds. She quietly and slowly approached him. As he looked at the mannequins, Elle stood next to him.

"Amazing how preserved they are, huh?" Elle said softly.

The man stiffened and looked at her in surprise.

"It's alright, I'm not going to ask you to leave. I just thought I'd join you." She said with a small smile.

"Don't you have to work?" The man asked in a slight mumble.

"Nope. Not yet anyway. Sometimes I like to come in just to enjoy the museum for what it is, instead of just a place that I work." She stated proudly.

"Good for you." He said with a sigh.

"Yep. Oh, I never got your name." She said conversationally.

"No, you didn't." He agreed as he moved to look at some other artifacts.

She followed him. "So, what is it?"

"What's what?"

"Your name."

The inquiry stopped him cold.

She's asking for his name?

If he told her, she wouldn't believe him.

He couldn't just say what he had been called, or his number.

"Is it of import?" He asked, hoping she'd just drop it.

"Not really, but if I'm going to keep seeing you every night when we're closing, I thought a little formality would be nice." She said with a shrug of nonchalance.

"Well, you don't need my name." He said, moving to a different section of the exhibit.

"Fine, I'll give you a name myself." Elle said, following him.

"You really don't have to." The man said, feeling annoyed.

"No, but I want something to call you and I already have name in mind."

"You do?"

"Yep, 'Bucky'."

The man turned abruptly and grabbed her arm.

" _Anything_ but that! Don't you _dare_ call me by _that name_!" He growled.

A bunch of people turned and looked them.

He looked at the girl he had a hold of. Her brown eyes were big and wide with fear.

He could easily kill her, right there. The thought passed through his head like a flash. Then, just as quickly, guilt overwhelmed him and he released her. He backed away, seeing everyone who was looking him with surprise, fear, and curiosity. He ran out of the exhibit and out of the building.

Elle watched as he ran out. Taking deep breaths and looking around, she faked a pleasant smile.

"It's all right, just a misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about." She told everyone.

"Are you all right, Miss Slaine?" Asked one of the employees.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm fine. " She said, still slightly shaken up. "The man's a veteran... a veteran with _severe_ P.T.S.D."

* * *

 **Monster. (Imagine Dragons) Chapter 2.**

The Soldier stared at his reflection in the mirror of his motel room. His outburst earlier that day over his name had him on edge.

"I'm a monster." He said in a choked sob.

He clenched his metal hand into a fist and punched the mirror, shattering it. He didn't think about what he was doing when he punched the mirror. His hand went through the mirror and into the bathroom wall. He hear someone scream in the other room.

He cursed in German under his breath, gently pulling his hand out of the wall.

There was a knock at the door.

He cursed again, this time in Russian.

" _Now I'm in trouble."_ He thought to himself.

He rubbed his face and walked to the door.

"Who is it?" He asked softly.

"Housekeeping." Came a familiar voice.

The Soldier opened the door a crack and was surprised to see Elle.

"How did you find me?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"There's a security camera in motel office building. I put a picture of you from one ours in the computer to search. Funny thing, there's a bunch of pictures of you from all over the world." Elle said sharply. " _Apparently_ you got into a cat fight with _Captain_ _America_. Then, here's the killer, _Captain_ _America_ was overheard calling _you_ _**Bucky**_." She placed her hands on her hips. "Care to add anything or did I get everything?"

He swallowed heavily and opened the door wider to let her in. He didn't know why, but he felt he could trust her.

She thanked him as she stepped inside, looking around the room.

It was a mess. Clothes were all over the floor with empty fast food containers and a big bag in the corner with guns and knives in it.

She then turned to look at him as he closed the door and looked at her nervously.

"When was the last time you ate something decent?" She asked after an awkward minute.

"I... I don't know." He asked quietly, really trying to remember.

"That settles it, you are going to get yourself a shower, I'll clean up this mess, and then you're coming home with me." She said, with full authority.

The Soldier's eyes widened in shock and he began to protest before she put a hand up.

"I'm not asking, I'm ordering, get yourself showered and dressed. Now." She commanded.

He quickly walked to the bathroom and did as she said.

Elle listened for the water to start running before she started cleaning. She quickly ran out of the room to the convenience store to buy giant trash bags and then returned. To her relief, the water was still running. She wasn't at all surprised, he was absolutely rank.

She had almost completely cleaned up the room by the time he came out with only bottom half of himself dressed and the metal arm completely visible.

Elle gaped. "Whoa..." She said, staring at the arm.

The Soldier looked at his arm and sighed heavily.

Elle walked up to him and reached out to touch it.

"Can I...?" She asked.

He nodded after a moment of thought.

"Does it hurt?" She asked as she lightly traced the line of connection between metal and skin.

"Sometimes. Part of my real arm is underneath the metal, so it sometimes pinches. I've learned to ignore it most of the time." He said, trying to remain still under her touch.

"How do people generally react when they see it?" She asked, running her hand slowly along the shoulder part.

"I've been wearing long sleeves and it can cloak itself to look and feel like skin when I want it to." He explained softly, watching her.

"So, you can't feel me touching it?" She asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

He shook his head. "I think that's purpose of it." He said, smiling a little.

"Whoa! Whoa! What was that?" Elle said, jumping back with a surprised expression.

"What?" He asked, alarmed at her sudden movement.

"Was that...? Was that a smile?" Elle asked with fake shock and a smirk.

The Soldier gave her a look of amusement while she laughed.

"Sorry, I just never thought I'd actually see you smile." She said with an apologetic smile. "C'mon, put a shirt on and let's go." She said as she walked over to the filled garbage bags and put one last piece of clothing in the laundry bag.

He blushed and went back into the bathroom and came back out with his arm looking normal and wearing a black tee.

"Great!" Elle said, struggling to pick up both bags. "Would you mind-"

Before she could finish her sentence, he grabbed both bags and slung them over his shoulder.

"Oh... Thanks." She said, opening the door. "After you... James."

He walked out and then stopped.

"What did you just call me?" He asked softly, not turning to look at her.

"I called you James. Because it's your real name. You told me not to call you Bucky, so I'm calling you by the name your mother gave you. Deal with it. I most certainly am _not_ going to call you Bob." She said, throwing her hands in the air dramatically, walking out the door and closing it. "Come on, James, we need to get you checked out and then we're going home."

He thought about running, but the way she treated him as a normal person and not a killer was addicting. Even if she was a little bossy. For some reason, he knew he needed a person who was bossy but kind enough that they were real with him. He felt he didn't deserve a real name, but if she insisted, then he'd let her.

"You can call me James." He said after a moment. "But I never got your name." He said, giving her a small smile as they reached the front desk.

Elle grinned. "My name is Elspeth Slaine. Everyone I know calls me Elle."

"How about I don't call you Elle?" He suggested. "You call me James instead of Bucky, I'll call you something different."

"Like what? The mouthful of my full first name?" Elle asked with a laugh.

"What's your middle name?"

"Faith."

"Then I'll call you Faith."

"Y-"

"Can I help you?" Asked the desk clerk.

"We're checking him out of the room." Elle said, handing him the key that she had grabbed off the bedside table.

"Very good. Do come back again Mr. Smith." Said the clerk as he wrote in a notebook.

Elle gave James a look as they walked out of the building.

"What?" James asked as they walked to her car.

"Smith?" Elle asked with a laugh.

"It's the only name I could think of." He said as they reached her car.

"You could only think of Smith? The most generic name ever?" She said with a shake of her head and unlocked the trunk of the car. "It's just kind of funny to me, don't mind me." She said, opening it. "Toss your stuff in." She said and then moved on to unlocking the passenger and driver side door.

When they reached her apartment, Elle quickly went about setting ground rules.

"No going out while I'm gone, you must shower at least every other day, don't light things on fire, your room is your room but you must keep it clean, clean up after yourself, don't crank music or tv too loud, leave my stuff alone, knock before entering my room whenever I'm in it, basically, just don't break anything, respect my privacy, and clean up after yourself." She said, turning on lights as they walked in. "Oh, and no killing people." She added with a laugh.

He nodded, looking around the place. It wasn't too big, but it certainly wasn't small either.

"There's three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a balcony, and the rest is all plain to see." She said, pointing in the directions of everything. "My bedroom is to your right, your bedroom is just this way." She said, leading him to his room. "It's the bigger of the two guest rooms, as you may notice."

"Why are you doing this?" James asked as he walked into the room and looking around.

"Because I want to. I knew you needed somebody as soon as I first saw you. You looked lost, lonely, and in need of TLC."

He tilted his head to the side, looking at her in confusion.

"Tender loving care." She explained. "Plus, I get lonely coming home to a big apartment that's virtually empty." She confessed. "So, you get yourself settled and I'll make us some food." She said, leaving his room and closing the door a little.

James watched as she left and then looked around a little more. He saw he had a bedroom mirror. He looked into it. He saw the monster again and took it down, remembering the rule of not breaking stuff.

"Doesn't she know she's invited a murderer into her apartment?" He asked himself in a murmur.

* * *

 **Fix You. (Coldplay) Chapter 3.**

Elle made spaghetti with a spinach and pesto tomato sauce for dinner. James watched her as she cooked with her light brown hair in a messy bun. Her tiny frame spinning and moving fluidly about the kitchen as she chopped onions and tomatoes for a sauce made from scratch. She danced and sang to music coming from her phone. It was hypnotizing to see someone who obviously had to have been trained by some of the finest chefs in the world to be so comfortable in the kitchen.

"Where did you learn to cook?" He asked softly.

Elle jumped and spun to look at him, obviously startled. She hadn't noticed him standing there, but she smiled at his question.

"My mom. She used to own a restaurant." She said, turning to finish chopping the tomatoes.

"Really? Did it do well?" He asked, stepping forward and leaning against the doorway.

"It did all right, but the stress got to her, so she handed ownership over to her best friend and business partner. They still use her recipe's for specials." She said as she put the chopped vegetables in a heated saute pan. She quickly stirred them and then added tomato paste and pesto.

"What restaurant?" He asked, incredibly interested.

She giggled. " **Elle's**." She said with a light blush. "My mom named it after me. I was three when she opened it, she handed it over when I was almost eighteen."

James smiled. "I think I've eaten there." He said, closing his eyes, trying to focus on remembering. "At least once... no..."

A flash of memory went through his brain. Blurry, but recognizable images appeared.

 _Alexander Pierce walked into the chamber where the Soldier was kept. He tossed a to-go box onto the Soldier's lap._

" _Here... a treat for your good job on the Russian today. It's from a little place called_ _ **Elle's**_ _. The owner's daughter is a cutie." Pierce said, sitting in a chair across from the Soldier._

 _The Soldier opened the box and saw that it was a large baked chicken leg with a salad and fries._

" _I thought you might want something easy to eat before we put you in the sleeper." Pierce said with a small smile._

 _The Soldier gingerly picked up a fry and took a small bite, watching Pierce._

" _It's all right, you can eat, I'll let you eat in peace." Pierce said, getting up and walking out._

 _As soon as Pierce left, a guard walked in and stood by the door._

The memory faded as quickly as it flashed in.

"James? James, are you with me?" Elle asked.

James opened his eyes and saw Elle with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked, stepping toward him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I just- I had a memory." He said with a small victorious smile.

"You did? Is that rare for you?" She asked.

"I was an assassin for this organization called **Hydra** , they wiped my memory after almost every mission." He explained softly. "I found out how often they did that after accessing my file **.** I had amnesia when they found me, but they began erasing my memory as soon as I started remembering."

"Is that why you keep going to the museum?" She asked, knowing the answer was most likely "yes."

He nodded. "I go there to try to remember my life before being Hydra's assassin. Even my real name sounds foreign to me. I recognize Steve Rogers, I know he and I were friends once. But it's my name and who I _was_ that I can't remember. I can't remember what I like, if I dance, sing, had a girlfriend, liked kids, hated them, nothing!"

"What _do_ you remember?" Elle asked before quickly returning to the sauce to stir it and put spaghetti in boiling water.

"Fighting **Captain America** and everything after that. The memory I just had was of the man who ordered me to kill everyone in **S.H.E.I.L.D**. He gave me a box of food from **Elle's**." He said with a sheepish smile.

"So you've eaten my mom's food." She said with a giggle. "What's **S.H.E.I.L.D**?"

"An organization the **Captain America** works for." James said with a shrug. "Doesn't matter anymore, he ended it because Hydra had infiltrated it."

Elle turned off the burner to the sauce and covered it. She briefly looked him over.

"Do you plan on keeping your hair that long?" She asked, tilting her head and studying him.

He gave her a look. "You don't like it?" He asked, self conscientiously running a hand through it.

"It's not bad, it's just... I think if you want to rediscover who you are, you should start anew. Cut it, shave, get better clothes, and then I'll get you as many files and artifacts relating to Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers to see if that'll help you remember." She said, stirring the spaghetti and then turning off the burner to that as well before straining it.

"Do you think it'll work?" James asked, casually watching the steam from the spaghetti pillow into the air.

Elle shrugged. "Worth a try."

James thought for a moment.

"I suppose you're the one who'll cut my hair and pick out my clothes?" He asked with a smirk.

"I'll cut your hair, but you'll pick out the clothes under my supervision." She answered with a wink.

He smiled as he watched her mix olive oil and spices into the noodles. He felt his stomach grumble in hunger.

"Will it be ready soon?" He asked softly, hoping it wouldn't bother her.

She grinned. "Just a couple minutes. Would you mind setting the table?"

He shook his head and walked to the plates and silverware that were sitting out.

"Just set the silverware on the table with some napkins and cups." She said quickly before he picked up the plates.

"Okay." He said, grabbing the silverware.

Just then, the song **Fix You** came on Elle's **Pandora**.

"Oh! I love this song." She said, running over to turn it up and began singing along to it.

James listened to her singing it, slightly off key, but he enjoyed it more than the actual song.

* * *

 **Touch. (Daughter) Chapter 4.**

It was after dinner when Elle had James sitting in a fold up chair in the middle of the kitchen with an old, rag towel draped over his neck and shoulders. She pulled out a home barber kit, placing everything onto the kitchen counter for easy access.

"So, do you want me to shave it all off or just cut it short with scissors?" She asked quizzically.

James smiled. "Just cut it short with the scissors." He said.

"Are you sure?" She teased, running a comb through the long, messy locks. "I could give you a buzz cut."

"I'm _positive_!" He said, laughing now. "Just cut it short!"

"Hey! I got you laughing!" She said, feeling victorious.

He laughed more. "Will that keep you from shaving my head bald?" He asked.

"Yes. I'll just give you a mo-hawk." She said with a small maniacal laugh.

"No, you won't!"

"No, I won't. You're right, just don't squirm."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am!"

"Sorry."

Only using scissors, Elle cut his hair skightly shorter than it already was. It was still a little long, but it didn't look as messy as it did.

"There," she said, running her fingers through the locks. "You know, your hair is really thick, your head must feel lighter now that some weight has been cut off."

"It does feel better." He agreed, looking at himself in a hand-held mirror..

"What do you think?" She asked, brushing small hairs off his neck and shoulders.

"You didn't take off too much." He said.

"No, just cleaned it up a bit. It looks good long."

She thought for a moment, knowing it was getting late, but not wanting to go to bed yet.

"How about you go out to the living room, I'll sweep up the hair, make some popcorn, and we'll watch an old movie?" She suggested with a soft tone.

He thought about it and nodded. "What movie?" He asked with a sigh.

"I was thinking of one from the nineteen-thirties. Something you have probably seen when it first came out. It might help you remember." She said with a shrug. "What do you think?"

He thought about it. It sounded good. "It might trigger a memory." He said before standing up and stretching.

He felt exhausted. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten. He was so used to being put into the cryogenic state mission after mission that he now realized he literally needed sleep.

"You know, maybe I should just go to bed." He said after a moment, before he made it to the living room.

Elle nodded. "That tired, huh?"

He let out a yawn that confirmed his weariness. "Maybe we could watch that movie tomorrow?" He asked.

She smiled. "Yes. Tomorrow." She confirmed.

She showed him to the bathroom and gave him his own toothbrush. She bid him goodnight as he went to bed.

Elle was dozing off to sleep as she watched a T.V. show on Netflix when she heard it. The cry of pure terror. She jumped up and listened.

It seemed to be coming from James' room.

She quickly ran to the room and opened the door to find him thrashing in the bed, yelling words that were obviously from different languages.

She knew better than to get close too him, remembering his metal arm.

"James." She said softly.

He continued to thrash and scream and let out what sounded like a sob.

"James!" She shouted.

Still didn't work. She took a deep breath and stepped back as she cleared her throat. She thought of a different way to get through to him.

" _Wake up, Soldier!_ " She yelled with complete firmness.

James sat up instantly, gasping but seemed to have perfect posture.

Elle kept quiet, watching him.

He blinked as he calmed down and looked up at her. The room was dark but some light poured in from the hall, revealing Elle's small frame.

"James..." Elle said softly, almost in a maternal way. "Are you with me?"

"Did you just call me... _Soldier_? _"_ He said slowly.

"You weren't responding to your name, I had to call you something." She said carefully.

"Did I... Did I hurt you?" He asked, hoping she hadn't gotten too close to him.

"No, I never even entered the room. I knew better."

He sighed and looked down.

"I'm a monster." He said, swallowing a lump in his throat as tears burned in his eyes.

"No, you're not." She said gently.

"I am! I could have killed you at the museum! I could have hurt you just now!" He said as the tears fell freely.

"But you didn't. That makes all the difference in the world. You _chose_ not to hurt me." She said, entering the room slowly. "Just like you are _choosing_ not to hurt me now. A monster let's himself be out of his own control or chooses to hurt people for his own enjoyment."

He watched her, shaking as she walked closer.

"It doesn't change what I did." He said. "What they did to me."

"I'm not saying that it does. I'm just saying that you are free to choose now, and how you're choosing." She said, watching him as she slowly lifted a hand and lightly brushing hair away from his face.

He flinched and then almost instantly relaxed.

"Why are you so accepting of me?" He asked quietly.

"Because I know you feel guilty about what you did when Hydra was controlling you." Elle said, running her fingers gently through his hair, knowing it would calm him.

He closed his eyes and took slow and deep breaths.

"I do." He said softly.

"You should accept that you aren't being controlled by them anymore. You are no longer their weapon, you are James. You understand me?"

She stepped closer and brushed more hair away from his face with her other hand. She gently tilted his face up so she could look at him.

He opened his eyes slowly and nodded.

"Can you stay with me?" He asked.

She gave a small smile. He seemed so childlike and scared. How could she say no?

She nodded and slowly crawled onto the bed.

"I'll stay as long as you want me to." She said, laying down and gesturing for him to lay down as well.

"Promise?" He asked, slowly laying down and watching her.

"I promise." She said with a nod. "Now, go to sleep, James. You need it."

She watched as he calmed down. He slowly drifted off to sleep and subconsciously moved closer to her.

She slowly fell asleep after he did, smiling at his peace.

* * *

 **Never Let Me Go. (Florence and the Machine) Chapter 5.**

Elle woke up finding herself wrapped up in James' arms. She tried to turn, but the man definitely had some strength. Especially since one of his arms was some kind of metal. She reached an arm back and found his head resting against her back.

She smiled. "James." She said gently, hoping it would wake him up. She was beginning to get uncomfortable.

He mumbled something unclear and loosened his grip on her. She smiled victoriously and slowly slipped out from his arms.

She quietly walked out of the room and did her morning routine.

James awoke with a start, realizing the warm presence he fell asleep with was missing. He looked around the room until he heard muffled humming from down the hall.

He slipped out of bed and followed the sound. He stopped when he saw Elle in the kitchen, cooking what looked to be an omelet.

"Good morning." He greeted shyly.

Elle looked up at him and smiled. "'Morning." She said in a sing-song voice.

"I woke up and you weren't there." He said with a pout.

"Sorry, James. But nature was calling and I couldn't ignore, but at least I'm making you breakfast." She said with a small smile.

He smiled a little, breakfast did smell good.

"There you are." She said, brushing some of his hair away from his face. "Now go and brush your teeth, breakfast is almost ready."

"Yes, Faith." He said, smiling genuinely now as he walked to the bathroom.

Elle felt her cheeks turn pink as she went back to finishing their breakfast.

They enjoyed their meal until Elle's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered while James pouted at her.

She listened intently to the caller. " _What_ was taken?" She asked in surprise.

"Someone stole **Captain America** 's old shield." Said the man on the other end.

"First the suit, now _this_?" Elle asked. "Someone must be making a collection. I'll be down there ASAP, just deal with whatever until I get there."

"Yes, Miss Slaine." The man said before he hung up.

"What got stolen?" James asked, curious.

" **Captain America** 's old shield. The one he used when he was a show boy." Elle said with a small laugh. "First it was the suit, now the shield."

"But, I saw the suit on display. How could it have been stolen?"

"It's a cheap remake. Looks real, but it's not the same."

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "If I told you that I know who stole the suit, would you promise not to tell anyone?" He asked after a moment.

She quirked a brow. "You know who stole the suit?"

He nodded.

"Who stole the suit?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?"

She nodded. "Spill it, Jimmy."

He laughed. "It was **Captain America**. He was wearing it the last time he and I fought." He said, turning red.

She gaped. "He did? Maybe he thought it might help your memory."

He shrugged. "Well, it didn't. But something he said did."

"What did he say?"

" _I'm with you until the end of the line._ " He said softly, feeling the familiarity of the words again.

"Sounds like you two were really close before Hydra wiped your memory." She said, thinking deeply about those words. "Practically inseparable."

"That's what I'm thinking, but it's something about those words that's familiar."

"Maybe you said them to him at a point that they were important to him." She said with a shrug.

"Maybe... Weren't you supposed to be at the museum ASAP?"

"Shoot!" She said, quickly getting up and getting ready.

Elle arrived at the museum, only to be bombarded by reporters asking her a billion questions.

"Miss Slaine! Miss Slaine!" Called out one of the reporters. "First the suit, now the shield! Who do you think is stealing all the artifacts?"

"Miss Slaine! Do you know anything about the stabbing? Miss Slaine!"

Wait... _What?_

"I assure you all, I don't know anything. When I do, I'll tell all of you." She said quickly and ran inside.

"Miss Slaine!" Said one of the employees. "Thank God you're here."

"What stabbing?" She asked immediately.

"Our new janitor. He's seemed to have been stabbed by a spear, or something!" He said, following her through the museum to the exhibit.

"Is he dead?" She asked softly.

"Well, when we say stabbed... He was more like... Impaled."

"So he's dead."

"Yes."

"Who found him?"

"Me." Said another man, dressed in a suit and baring a badge.

"And you are...?"

"Sorry, my name is Agent Coulson with **S.H.I.E.L.D.** " The man said, showing off his badge again. "Do you mind having a few words with me?"

She nodded and shooed the employee away. "I thought **S.H.I.E.L.D** was gone." She said with a quirked brow.

"You know about **S.H.I.E.L.D**?" Coulson asked, surprised.

"I know a lot about a lot of things, _Agent_. Hydra, **S.H.I.E.L.D** , my mom's affair that she tried to hide when I younger... I'm a research specialist. How do you think I landed this job? Someone _sneezes_ in this exhibit and I know about it. So, _Agent_ , what monster killed the janitor with a spear and stole the Cap's old shield?"

Coulson stared at her with wide eyes. "Can we talk in private?"

She nodded and led him to her office. "Talk." She said as closed the door.

"Are you familiar with Norse legends, Miss Slaine?" He asked.

"If you're talking about Thor, I'm pretty sure he uses a hammer." She said, pulling out a pack of gum and popping an unwrapped strip into her mouth. "You must be talking about Loki."

"You _do_ know a lot." Coulson said with a smile.

"I majored in History and Folklore. Now, my big question is, what would Loki want with a dusty old shield?" She held the pack out to him. "Watermelon?"

He nodded and took a strip. "That's just what we're trying to find out. We've contacted Thor and got some pretty major news. Loki supposedly died last year."

Elle's jaw nearly dropped. "Well... that's... interesting..."

"And it's all I'm willing to share with you." Coulson said as he opened the door. "Thanks for the gum, Miss Slaine."

"Hey, wait!" Elle said as she ran out after him and bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry."

"It's alright, ma'am." Said the man.

"Don't call me ma'am." She said, out of habit and looked up. "Oh my god, you're-"

"Steve Rogers, I know. Sorry, force of habit for me to call a woman, ma'am."

"Lady, I'm not that old." She said with a laugh.

He smiled and chuckled. "Again, sorry."

"Are you here about the shield?" She asked.

He nodded. "And I heard there was a stabbing."

"More like an impaling, but yeah."

She had to force herself to forget about _Bucky_ being in her apartment. But him calling her didn't help.

"Hello?" She answered quickly as she walked back to the exhibit with Steve.

"Faith?" James asked. "The news says that there was a stabbing!"

"James! Why are you calling me?" She asked, trying to keep her voice low.

"I got worried, what if the maniac is still there?"

"I'm fine, everybody's fine... well, except for the janitor. I'll tell you when I get home. Watch a movie or something!"

"Husband?" Steve asked.

Elle grimaced and mouthed "boyfriend" and Steve seemed to believe her, and walked away, mumbling about how things are so different from his days.

"Who's that?" James asked.

"Maybe some thing with _Steve_ McQueen or some Mr. _Rogers_ Neighborhood to help take your mind of things." She said, hoping he'd get her clue.

James fell silent and Elle subconsciously held her breath, sending a small smile to Steve when they reached the exhibit.

"He's there?" James asked after a moment with a hoarse voice.

"Yes. Which doesn't really surprise me." She said quietly.

"I'll let you go then. Will you be home soon?"

"Hopefully."

"Okay, see you soon." He said before hanging up.

"'Kay, bye." She said before pushing _end_.

"I'm still not used to hearing about unmarried couples living together." Steve said with an apologetic smile.

Elle grimaced. "It's a temporary thing. He's got a bug problem at his apartment." She fibbed.

"Ah, I see." He said, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner, looking around the exhibit. "I have a friend named James." He continued casually. "Of course, you probably already know that."

She nodded, biting her lip. "I wish you didn't lose him when you did." She said, pretending that he wasn't in her apartment trying to figure out who Mr. Rogers is and what's so special about his neighborhood.

"He's alive, actually. He actually was injected with the super-soldier serum, like me. But he was captured by the enemy."

"Hydra?" She asked before she could stop herself.

He looked at her in surprise.

"Research specialist." She explained, quickly. "Was he the guy with the hair and metal arm that you fought with a while back?"

He nodded, sadness in his eyes. "They wiped his memories and trained him in hand to hand combat. He got the name _Winter Soldier_. I can hardly bear to think of what all the memory wiping did to his mind."

Elle now had more information than she knew what to do with. At least his nick-name explained his reaction to her just calling him "Soldier" to wake him up after his nightmare. Any trace of that life must make him edgy.

There was really nothing Elle could do except tell everyone to call her when they get any information that they were permitted to tell her and then go home to James. When she walked in, James jumped up from the chair he was sitting in and nearly ran to her.

"Don't worry, he doesn't know." She said before he most likely asked about Steve. "As far as he knows, I have an overprotective boyfriend."

"Why would he think that?" He asked, confused.

"Because he asked if I was talking to my husband on the phone and I know for a fact that as far as everyone at work is concerned, everyone knows I'm not married. It's not like I can casually say 'Hey, I'm married now to the mysterious guy from the museum who is actually Bucky Barnes.' So I said 'boyfriend' and he dropped it. Nobody at work asks me anything about my dating life, so there's nothing to worry about there.

"What if he comes here and finds out who your _boyfriend_ is?"

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know, just a thought."

"Logically, that's not possible, he has no valid reason to come here."

"Good point." He mumbled, looking away shyly.

"Glad you agree, Jimmy, now, how about that movie we were going to watch last night?" She asked with a quirked brow.

He smiled. "Sounds great."

Misguided Ghosts. Chapter 6.

They watched the 1935 movie, _**David Copperfield.**_ It was interesting enough that it held the majority of their attention, but it was sort of boring enough that they had conversations through it.

"What did you do while I was gone?" Elle asked softly.

"Not much, I cleaned up the kitchen and took a shower. I decided it would be a daily thing." He said with a small smile.

"That's a wise decision, my friend." Elle said with a grin.

James chuckled. "Do I smell that bad?" He asked with a smirk.

She laughed. "Yes, you smelled terrible when I found you yesterday."

"It couldn't have been _that_ bad!" He teased.

"It _was_ that bad." She said, laughing hysterically. "When was the last time you showered before I found you yesterday?"

"Weeks or months, can't really remember."

"That long?"

"Maybe." He said with a small smirk.

"You're impossible." She said, rolling her eyes and tried her best to hide a smile.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I'll take it as one anyway."

She giggled and rolled her eyes again.

When the movie had finished, Elle rushed to make dinner, remembering she would most likely be called in for consultation about the exhibit. James watched her again as she pan-fried fish and steamed broccoli. Elle looked up at him while she stirred rice in a pot.

"What do you find so fascinating about me cooking?" She asked quizzically.

James smiled shyly. "I don't know, you're just so... graceful in the kitchen. You seem so... happy."

"Even though I'm feeling rushed right now, I look happy?" She asked, she never knew how she looked while cooking, his description of her came as a shock.

"Yes, you look as though you could be there all day. It's captivating."

She blushed. "I guess I just love cooking. For some, it's a chore, for me, it's a joy."

He sighed, content on watching her. Seeing how happy she was made him feel safe, almost normal. He nearly forgot who he was before her.

That was when a new memory appeared before him. This time, a good one.

" _James Buchanan Barnes! Get in here right now and help me!" Yelled a stern yet cheerful voice of an older woman._

 _Big Band Music played in the back ground as he seemed to run into a kitchen where the woman, his mother(?), handed him plates and silverware to set the table with._

" _Does your little friend want to eat here with us? Will that be okay with his family?" She asked with a beaming smile._

 _He seemed to look over at a young boy who was skinny and shy._

" _Will that be okay with you, Bucky's mom? Erm... I mean, Mrs. Barnes?" Said the boy._

" _Of course it will, Steven, I'll send my husband over to ask your parents for you, the weather is too terrible for you to run over there yourself."_

" _Thanks Mrs. Barnes." He said sheepishly._

" _Thanks mom." Young James seemed to say._

The memory faded out and James felt a smile cross his face.

He walked over to Elle, who was focused on the fish.

"I had a memory." He said, his throat tight, he didn't realize he had been crying until now.

Elle glanced up and then immediately looked concerned.

"No, no, it's good." He said before she could say anything.

"What was it of?" She asked softly.

"My mother, she was cooking and was making me set the table. Steve Rogers was there too, we were just kids at the time. I felt... happy. Excited even, because she was letting Steve stay for dinner."

Elle smiled, feeling emotional as well. "That's good, you needed that memory." She said, pulling out a tissue and drying his eyes. "Now, I'm going to be like your mom and tell you to set the table."

He chuckled. "Yes Miss Faith."

She smiled and went back to preparing dinner.

"Sometimes I consider myself a ghost in my own body." James said.

The evening at the museum was almost normal, so Elle was back at the apartment almost an hour after she had left. They replaced the shield with a replica until they could get it back.

"Why do you think that?" She asked him, adjusting herself in her place on the couch. She stretched out and plopped her legs over his lap.

"Because I don't know who I am. I'm just barely a piece of myself. I may look like myself, but I don't recognize any of it." He said, resting a hand on her feet, making sure it was his real hand.

"We all feel that at some point in our lives. We meet people and change some of ourselves to fit their needs or wants. Sometimes we meet someone that we so desperately want to like us and change ourselves so much so they would to a point that we wake up one morning and realize that we don't even know who we are anymore." She sighed, looking regretful. "Through the years, we're different people. Our first year, we're learning how to even be a person, the next, we're learning how to act like one, and so on. Each year is a different life, it seems. You see, you were captured, and turned into a weapon, against your will. They wiped your memory and you forgot everyone you were. But now, you're remembering those people. You may not know who you are now, but you _will_ remember who you _were_."

He sighed with a smile. "What made me deserve to have someone like you to come into my life and help me the way you do?"

She grinned. "Not killing Captain America is a pretty good thing, I think."

He laughed. "I did try, though." He said with full honesty in his voice. "But, I like that answer, that's good. I'll take it."

She laughed in agreement. Seeing the time, she sighed heavily. "It's late, and I have work in the morning. We should get some sleep."

He nodded. "Is it weird if I want to sleep in the same bed as you, in case of nightmares or something?"

She shook her head. "No, but I don't think it would be best. If you have one, I'll wake you and climb into bed with you to soothe you, but I don't want to just go straight to bed with you, understand?"

He nodded slightly. "I understand." He said solemnly. "Goodnight, Faith." He said, pecking her cheek and then going into his room.

The kiss was a surprise to Elle, but she smiled before heading to bed. "Goodnight, James."

* * *

 **Walk in the Sun. (McFly)** **Chapter 7.**

Elle was sleeping soundly when James had another nightmare. This time, he woke himself up, looked around his room, and breathed deeply as he calmed himself down. He walked out of his room looking for Elle. He remembered where her room was and knocked gently.

She woke up slowly, hearing the knocking on her door.

"Whatisit?" She asked, mumbling.

"Elle." James whispered softly, his voice quaking.

"Wha-what?" Elle asked, waking up more. She sat up and squinted to see James.

"I-I had another nightmare." He whimpered.

"Oh..." She mumbled, her heart breaking for him. "C'mere then." She beckoned him to lay down.

He sheepishly walked over and laid down next to her, immediately calming down.

"Tell me about it." Elle insisted, rolling over to face him.

He rolled over as well, so they were face to face. "It was like a memory." He explained, gulping back tears. "I was strapped to a table and people were injecting me with something. It hurt, like some kind of torture. It was horrible, Faith." He cried.

She nodded in understanding. "It's okay." She consoled. "It's over now. You're safe, you're here with me." She moved closer and cuddled up to him.

He gently pulled her closer and cuddled with her.

It felt nice.

He softly fell asleep. This time, dreaming of pleasant things. Such as a carnival, with Elle, and winning her a giant purple teddy bear. He smiled in his sleep.

The next morning was almost routine. Elle awoke to her alarm while James remained in a deep slumber. She softly kissed his head while she got up and did her routine. She decided to make beans, eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast for breakfast. She knew his appetite and knew that he'd be incredibly hungry this morning after his nightmare the night before.

It was about 10 minutes after she got up that he emerged from her room.

"Good morning, Sleepy." She greeted with a smile as she stirred the beans.

"Good morning." He greeted with an equally pleasant smile. He looked at what she was making and laughed.

"What?" She giggled.

"You're making me sausage's, beans, and eggs? Where are we? England?" He asked quizzically.

"Have you had it before?" She bantered playfully.

"Faith, I fought in the second world war with a Brit by my side... What do you think?"

"Well?"

"No, but I've heard of it. It smells good."

Elle laughed. "It _is_ good. I think you'll like it."

"When will it be ready?" He asked with anticipation. He was hungry.

"Soon, go and brush your teeth." She ordered.

"Yes Ma'am!" He said with a salute and walked away happily.

He felt good today. He felt as if his life was finally piecing back together. This time, stronger. With her by his side, he felt invincible.

The breakfast was delicious. Elle smiled in amusement as he scarfed down his breakfast so fast that it was almost as if he feared it was going to be his last.

"Do you like it?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

With his mouth full, James only nodded with a smile.

"You seem pretty chipper, today." Elle stated with a smile. "It's also a beautiful day outside. Would you like to walk with me after breakfast?"

He looked up at her with nervousness in his eyes. "Are you sure? What about work?"

"I'm thinking of taking a personal day."

"Can you do that?"

"Sure, I haven't taken one before and I'm about due. They'd understand."

"Oh..." He nodded, looking down.

"So..." Elle began slowly. "How about it?"

James bit his lip. "What if I'm recognized?"

"I think you'll be fine."

"What if Steve sees us?" He stammered.

"Hon, it's a big city, and if Steve sees you, well, it will make him very happy. You can't just not see him anymore. He's looking for you, you can't hide forever. All I'm asking for is you to take a walk with me. You can't stay in here all cooped up like a hen."

James sighed. She was right. She's always right.

"Okay mom." He replied with a smirk.

Elle blushed and giggled. "Good, now finish your breakfast." She stammered with embarrassment.

As usual, Elle was right. The sun was shining, it was just right outside with a warm breeze.

James wore a tee shirt remembering to keep his arm looking normal. His full attention was on Elle, talking away in her floral dress that reached her knees. She was updating him on the history of the city after the war. Shops that came and gone, popular names, how tv and movies changed, and music becoming less sensible and more sexual. He laughed at the last one.

He couldn't help but look around. He saw how things were definitely different, but how things were also the same in a way. He noticed how he was with a beautiful girl, enjoying himself, and then how some men looked at her as they walked by.

"Faith, why are you still single?" He asked, completely interrupting her as she was talking about a place that had the best gelato."

"Sorry?" She asked, completely off guard.

"Here you are, spending all of your time with me, so... Are you single or just a really horrible girlfriend?"

Elle was suddenly speechless. "I-...Um..."

They walked quietly for a few minutes.

"Well..." Elle said quietly. "I guess I just spent all of my time at work and never had time to be with anyone."

"So... Would I count as your first boyfriend?" He asked in amusement.

She laughed. "I guess so! I never thought of it that way. You're still sleeping in your own bedroom, though."

"Rats!" James joked.

"Is that going to be a problem?" She asked quizzically.

"No." He smiled.

"Good, then you have been promoted to platonic boyfriend." She put out her hand for him to shake.

He shook it with a laugh.

"I think this is already the best day of my life." James sighed with a smile. "Wouldn't you agree?" He asked Elle.

She nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **Explosions. (Ellie Goulding) Chapter 8.**

Their walk turned into lunch at a Grecian dive that served some of the best gyros in the neighborhood.

"So, does this count as our first date?" He asked with a grin.

"Maybe, we'll see." Elle teased. "Try the gyros."

"I'm not sure if I want to."

"Why not?"

"I've never had them before." He replied sheepishly.

"Okay, well, order something you think you'll like and you can try a bite of my gyro."

"Okay... Well... They do have hamburgers here, so I guess I'll have one of those."

"Sounds good." Elle stated as she closed her menu just in time for the waiter to arrive at their table with the two iced teas they had previously ordered.

"Ready to order or do you two need a couple of minutes?" He asked, taking out a notebook.

"Well, I know that I'm ready, are you, James?" Elle replied with a smile and looked at James with questioning eyes.

"Sure, I think so." He said, glancing at his menu, playing rock, paper, scissors in his head as he looked at two different burgers on the menu. "Faith, how about you order before me? I'm stuck between two burgers, here." He suggested with a sheepish smile.

"Okay." She giggled and looked at the waiter, who smiled and pulled out a pen. "I'll have the gyro with fries, and the side salad, please."

"What kind of dressing will you have on the salad?" He asked, taking her menu.

"Italian, and I will have it on the side, please." She replied with a smile.

James quirked a brow at her and smiled pleasantly at the waiter and quickly picked the hamburger he wanted.

"I'll have the Hephaestus Burger, please, with fries and the side salad with ranch dressing." He said, handing his menu to the waiter.

"Would you like your dressing on the side as well?" The waiter asked.

"No, thank you. I trust you." He said with a grin.

When the waiter left, James noticed that Elle was giving him a strange smile.

"What?" He asked.

"What was the look for?" She asked with confusion.

"Why did you order your dressing on the side?"

"Because I like to put it on myself. I don't trust restaurants with salad and dressings, they always put too much on."

"Health conscience?"

"Maybe. Is that a problem?"

He smiled. "Nope."

"Good." She smiled back.

"I don't see why you should be health conscience, though. You look great." He said honestly, looking down in nervousness.

She blushed. "Thanks, but it doesn't hurt to keep it all maintained." She explained. "I sometimes gorge myself on chocolate fudge ice cream and cookies, but that's when I'm treating myself."

James snorted, forcing back a loud belt of laughter.

Elle grinned as she took a sip of her iced tea.

"So..." She began slowly. "Do remember anything about yourself? As in your likes and dislikes?"

He shrugged and sat up straighter, crossing his arms. "I don't know." He replied simply, looking down.

"Oh come on... Just try. Close your eyes and focus. What's your favorite color?"

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Blue."

"Interesting." She responded with a smile. "What's your favorite food?"

"Chicken gumbo." He said quickly, surprising himself, but remained focused.

"What's your favorite song?"

"Don't have one."

"Animal?"

"Dog."

"Memory." Elle bit her lip, hiding a small smile, and hoping he respond the same way he had been.

"I have two. Meeting Steve, and how you looked as we walked this morning." He replied immediately.

Elle gasped lightly at the first memory and blushed with his second.

He opened his eyes, which looked a bit watery.

"I didn't mean to do that to you." Elle said, offering him a napkin, just in case, but James stopped her.

"No. It's fine." He said. "I just... felt a little overwhelmed."

"Oh..." Elle couldn't help but feel like she did something wrong. They were in public, so it had to make James a little embarrassed.

James noticed how Elle was acting now. Her head was down and she looked ashamed.

"Faith?" He called to her softly.

She looked up, turning red.

"Are you okay?" He asked, reaching across the table to take her hand in his.

"I just feel like I embarrassed you."

"What? Why would you think that? It's not like I'm having a total meltdown in the middle of the restaurant." He said with a chuckle.

"I don't know. It's just that guys tend to be embarrassed if they show the least bit of emotion in public."

"Then the guys you went out with are pansies!" He said with a laugh. "How are you supposed to woo a gal if you act like an unemotional robot?"

Elle laughed so hard that she forgot to cover up a natural snort that she usually hid.

James smiled triumphantly. He got her to laugh. Something in him felt warm and tingly, he loved it. He wanted to pause and stay in this moment forever.

After lunch, they decided to go to a local park.

"Wow trees!" James joked with a laugh.

"Very funny." Elle laughed with him.

"I miss trees, even though I have no idea why. I grew up in New York City, not a lot of trees there." He rambled on, almost uncontrollably. "Steve and I would race to central park, even though I naturally always won. He hated it when I would let him win, he told me it wasn't fair to me nor him. He-" He froze, realizing what he was saying.

Elle had been watching and listening with intense glee.

"How does it feel?" She asked, partially not knowing what she really meant by that, but she was sure he had an answer.

"Natural." He choked, stepping forward. "Almost... _Real._ Thank you." He said, biting his lip, forcing back tears.

She held her hand out to him, and he took it without even a hint of hesitation.

"Want to go home?" She asked.

He nodded, lightly squeezing her hand.

They arrived back at the apartment in time for Elle to start making dinner. James was feeling tired after all of the memories coming back to him, so he went to his room and napped while Elle prepared dinner.

He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Immediately, a dream flooded his mind. This time, Elle was in it.

 _ **He and Elle were back in the 1940s. She was dressed beautifully in a red velvet dress, hair pin curled, and ruby red lip stick worn stunningly on her soft lips.**_

 _ **They were dancing, and she was smiling. They were the only ones in the room.**_

He smiled in his sleep.

He awoke to Elle knocking on his door.

"James, dinner is ready, do you want me to save some for you or are you going to eat with me?"

"Coming." He replied groggily.

He reflected back on his dream as he slowly got out of bed, smiling as he about stumbled down the hall.

When he came out to the dining area, he found himself in a classic Italian bistro. He saw homemade pizza and red grape juice on the counter.

"Why not wine instead of grape juice?" He asked.

"Don't like the taste of alcohol." She said with a shrug.

"Good reason." He said with a smile and sat in his seat. "I remember having some dry German wine, that stuff was nasty! France does it way better."

Elle giggled. "Good to know. Sleep well?" She asked she served him a few slices of the pizza and a glass of the grape juice.

"Yes, thank you." He replied, taking his plate from her, still smiling from the memory of the dream.

"Really? Did you have any more memories?"

"No, just a dream." He answered, eating a slice the classic New York way.

Elle watched in amusement and couldn't help but snicker.

"Whha?" James asked, mouth filled with pizza.

"Nothing, just... You can take the New Yorker out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the New Yorker."

He chewed and swallowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The way you ate the pizza."

"What? You mean how I ate it the _right_ way?" He gave her a smirk.

"Who's to say that's the _right_ way?"

"Any wise person in America." He replied, taking another bite."

She grinned in a amusement. "Oh really?" She giggled. "Does that mean I'm not wise?"

"Well..." He teased. "You let a mindless assassin into your home, trying to help him, not knowing what would happen. I could have very well killed you for all we know."

He continued, very seriously now.

"Yes, but you didn't." Elle replied, serious now as well.

"I still could have. You know that just as well as I, now don't deny it. You _were_ scared there for a bit."

"I-... Well..." Every fiber of Elle's being wanted her to deny it. "I was. Only at the beginning." She finally answered after a tense minute. "Should I still be? Because I'm not." She asked, looking him straight in the eye, scared of his answer.

James wiped his hands with his napkin and stood up. Elle watched him like a hawk as he walked over to her and held out his hand.

"What are you doing?" Elle asked.

"Just take it." He answered softly, smiling.

"Why?" She asked, her heart was pounding in her ears. She suddenly felt scared.

" _Elle._ Please." He suddenly was begging as if it was the most important thing for her to do.

She took it, standing inches from him.

Suddenly Ellie Goulding's song _Explosions_ came on.

"Dance with me." James said.

"What?" Elle asked, taken off guard.

"The only thing you need to fear from me is my dancing skills." He said with a smile that made Elle's heart melt. "Dance with me?"

Elle smiled in return and nodded.

So they danced. Making James' dream come true.

"I had you scared for a minute there, didn't I?" James chuckled in her ear.

"I'd hate to be honest, but yeah, you did." Elle giggled.

"Well, no need to be scared of me, Elle, because... I'm back. You made me a better into a better version of my old self, and I'm here to stay." He promised.

"Well, good." She said, holding him tighter. "When did you learn to dance?"

"Everyone knew how to dance in my day." He bragged lightly. "I had an amazing dream during my nap, and I felt like dancing with you when I woke up."

"What did you dream of?" She asked, pulling away enough to look at his face, just realizing her head was on his shoulder.

"I dreamed of this. We were dancing." He whispered to her, looking into her eyes.

"I'm glad I'm making your good dreams come true." Elle said softly with amusement, melting like butter on a hot stove. "By the way, I don't know why I should be afraid of your dancing skills, they're much better than the freaks these days."

"Thanks, but you should see me try to do the elaborate ones from back then. I'm terrible."

They danced until the pizza got cold.

Needless to say, this day ended perfectly.

* * *

 **Human. (Daughter) Chapter 9.**

They woke up together on the couch. The T.V. replaying the menu screen of a DVD they were watching the night before. Elle awoke to finding herself cuddled against James' chest. James awoke to feeling Elle stirring.

"Good mornin'." James said wiping the sleep from his eyes and stretching.

"Morning." Elle replied, stretching as well. "Sleep well?"

He nodded. "Very peacefully. Did you?"

Elle smiled. "Sort of, I was a little uncomfortable while waking up."

"Sorry, not exactly a comfortable position, is it?" He said, getting up.

"What time is it?" She said with a nod and a yawn.

"Half past nine." He said with a shrug.

"Shoot! I have to get to the museum! " She exclaimed as she ran down the hall to her room.

James sighed as he stood in the living room with his hands on his hips. Something about last night made him feel on edge. He knew he felt something while with her, but he couldn't place what it was. He knew he felt safe with her. He felt he could tell her anything. He even told her right away what he did before his fight with Steve. That couldn't be normal, could it? Telling someone who, at the time, was a complete stranger, what terrible stuff you did before you met them?

No.

"I thought you only worked evenings." He said, feeling confused when he realized what Elle had said.

"Usually, yes." She called from her bedroom. "But the curator asked me if I could start working on a research project for the ancient Egypt department."

"When did he ask you to do that?"

"Last week, I'm supposed to start today."

"Are you sure it's safe to be there?" He asked, his voice breaking as it usually did when he was beginning to feel stressed. "I mean, a man was impaled! What if the psychotic killer comes back and finds you there and decides to make a new exhibit, centerpiece: you!"

Elle came out with her hands on her hips and a look that screamed "you are being ridiculous."

"Really?" She asked with a voice thick of annoyance. "I have a job, James. I'm not just going to drop everything and hide. Security has been boosted to prevent anything like that from happening again."

"I'm not asking you to drop everything and hide, Faith." He said, sincerely. "I'm just worried that it might be a little too soon to start working there so often right now. A man was killed, Elle."

She sighed. "Will you at least let me go there to grab any paperwork they have for me so I can go over the details?"

"Can't you have them mailed?"

"Bucky..." She froze, her heart pounded. "I mean..."

He stepped toward her, knowing she must've called him that without thinking. He didn't mind, he actually liked it.

"I really care about you, Elle." He said, taking her hands in his. "I don't want anything to happen to you." He finished, looking her in the eyes.

She sighed in relief that he barely reacted to his nickname. "James... I will be fine. Maybe you can come with me."

He stepped back. "What if Steve's there again?"

"I will go in first, if he's not, I'll text you."

"I don't have a phone."

She put up a finger as if to say "one moment" and left the room. She returned with an old keypad phone.

"It's ancient compared to what we have today, but it should work for you."

"How about you call? Teach me the texting thing later?" He suggested with a sheepish smile.

She giggled. "Okay, you're adorable when you do that, you know?"

He grinned. "I think I've been told that before."

"By who?"

"Can't remember. They're probably dead by now."

She smiled. The memories were becoming more clearer every day.

Elle walked into the museum and looked around, the coast seemed clear. She pulled out her phone and called James.

"Is he there?" Came his answer.

"Nope, just as I suspected." She said with a smirk.

"I'll be right in."

"'Kay. Better hurry, I want to just get in and get out."

"Hanging up now, be right in."

"Miss Slain?"

Oh... _no._

"Captain Rogers." She greeted with a look of complete surprise that she did not need to fake. "What, in God's name, are you doing here?"

"Sorry, I didn't know I wasn't welcome at a museum where my old shield was stolen." He said with what sounded to be slight irritation.

"No! That's not what I meant. Sorry, just... I wasn't really expecting to see you, even though I should've."

That was when James walked in.

Thankfully Steve's back was to the door and Elle was facing it.

He stopped dead in his tracks and caught Elle's eye. Elle looked at him and then back at Steve.

"Tell me, Captain-"

"Oh, just call me Steve, please."

"Right... Steve, uhm... I'm just curious... What would you do if you saw your old friend, the one you thought you lost, just randomly, today."

"Why do you ask?"

"Just a thought, I've been wanting to ask for a little while now."

"Well, I honestly don't know. Depends on how I see him."

"What do you mean?"

"It means I don't know. I'd like for us to drop the subject now. May I ask you a question, Miss Slain?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you here?"

"To work, Sir." She snapped. "What made you so grumpy?"

She watched out of the corner of her eye as James slowly backed out of the museum.

"Sorry, just a my lead on my friend went cold, so I'm back to square one."

"You had a lead?" She asked, surprised and slightly scared.

"Yes, we thought we saw footage of him being here in D.C., even in this museum. But then we lost him."

"How did you lose him?" She asked, hoping the lead didn't involve her.

"He checked out of a motel that's only a few miles from here, with a woman, we couldn't get a clear enough footage of her face."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said, just before her phone rang. "Sorry, could you wait a moment?"

Steve nodded and looked around.

Elle pulled out her phone and sighed before she answered it. "Hi, honey." She said with a little syrup in her voice.

"Hi, Sweetie." James replied, with an equal amount of syrup. "Will you be out soon?"

"Sorry, I got held up, I ran into Captain America, unexpectedly." She said with a cheery voice.

"Really?" James said, matching her tone with false surprise. "What on earth is he doing there?"

"Apparently, he was curious about his old shield." She said, looking at Steve and he nodded. "I'm going to call you back when I'm done here."

"Elle, I want you to lose him, grab your stuff, and get out. You've already been in there longer than I wanted you to."

"James, we've talked about this. I'm fine, no one's going to attack me, why would they want to?"

"Why would they attack the janitor?"

"I don't know, maybe because he got in their way. That doesn't mean they'll come back..." She looked at Steve. "Does it?"

Steve shrugged.

"It doesn't mean they won't." Both Steve and James said at the same time.

She sighed in irritation. "Fine, I'll grab my stuff with Captain America by my side, protecting me."

"Good, I'm waiting in the car." James said, and then smiled. "Love you, Sugar Face." He said with a teasing voice.

Elle turned beet red. "Love you too, Puddin' Pop." She teased back and hung up.

Elle guided Steve to her office and told him to just stand guard while she went through files sitting on her desk.

"What are you here for?" He asked, casually.

"Files for a research project on ancient Egypt." She answered, putting a few files into her bag and rummaging through her desk. "A few of our archaeologists found a few artifacts and they looked like tools, so they want to find out what each one was used for."

"They couldn't figure it out for themselves?" He asked.

"Sometimes they need help." She said with a cheeky smile.

"So, I thought I overheard your boyfriend say he's in the car and waiting. Why didn't he come in with you?"

"He's been in here enough times that he's actually quite sick of it." She fibbed. "And the idea of it being the location of a murder, he really doesn't want to come in here anymore."

"Not even to accompany his lady?"

She laughed. "It's supposed to be an in-grab-and-go thing, bumping into you sort of slowed things down."

Checking everything over, she figured she had everything.

"Okay, you can just walk me to the door." She said, just before-

" _ **BOOM!"**_

* * *

 **Run. (Daughter) Chapter 10.**

Smoke. Screams. Heat.

Elle felt dazed. She opened her eyes to Steve's face inches from hers. She could barely hear anything but she could see Steve was asking her if she was all right and if she could walk.

She nodded.

Steve guided her down to the lobby. James ran to meet her, shielding his face with his coat.

"Elle! Elle! Are you okay?" He asked with a husky voice.

She nodded, coughing too much to answer.

"She needs water and medical attention!" Steve shouted to him.

"Got it! I'll take her, you save people!" James shouted back as he rushed Elle out.

For a moment, Steve could have sworn it was Bucky he was talking to, but he shrugged it off.

In the hospital, Elle woke up to a clean shaven and shorter haired James by her side.

"Hi, handsome." She said before coughing.

"Hi, beautiful." James said, grabbing her some water.

"What's with the hair?" She asked, taking the cup from him and sipping it slowly.

"I got it cut. People are looking for long haired and scruffy Bucky, not this." He pointed to his face and grinned.

"When did you get it cut?" She asked, wondering how long she had been unconscious.

"This morning." He said, looking at her with a sorrowful expression. "The explosion happened yesterday, you passed out by the time I got you into an ambulance."

"Where did the explosion happen? It felt like it was right next to me."

"If it did happen right next to you, you would be dead or half your body would be unrecognizable."

"Do you know, then?"

"Yes, it happened a couple rooms away from your office. Elle, I don't want you working there anymore, somebody's trying to get to you."

"Me? Why me?"

"Because they know you're taking care of me."

"How would-"

"Everybody's looking for me, Elle!" He said loudly. "Somebody's bound to notice me while we're walking down the street, at the museum, or even entering your apartment building!"

"But why would they stab a janitor with a spear and steal the shield?"

"Because they wanted to send a message." James said. "I don't know who it is, or what they want with me, but they were trying to tell you that as long as you're with me, you're not safe."

Elle though for a moment.

"No." She said, realizing what he was saying.

"Elle..."

"No, you're not leaving! We were making progress!"

"Elle, I have to."

"No! You don't! You're not leaving-"

"I can't stay here! I thought I could hide in plain sight, but I can't-"

"NOT WITHOUT ME!" She shouted. "You're not leaving without me!"

James froze.

 _The room disappeared and he was suddenly he was in a burning building with Steve. He felt sick and weak. Steve helped him cross a beam and it suddenly collapsed after he reached the other side, leaving Steve stranded on the other side._

" _Get out of here!" Steve shouted to him._

" _No! Not without you!" Bucky shouted back._

"James?" A small and quaking voice called to him, bringing him back. "Sorry, I shouted at you."

He snapped back to the present to find find Elle with concern and fear written all over her face.

"No, no." He said gently and rushed over to her. "I was just having a memory ." He explained, placing a hand on hers and holding it. "I'm not mad at you, I'm just frustrated that you seem to want to be in danger."

"What was your memory of?" She asked softly.

"Steve and me. We were escaping a burning building, he told me to get out, and I told him that I'm not leaving without him."

"Oh..." She said, reaching for her water, coughing again.

James quickly grabbed it for her.

"So," she said, sighing after her long drink. "When do we leave?"

"You're being persistent." James observed with a chuckle. "But seriously, Elle, don't you know how dangerous it is when you're with me? Didn't a building exploding reveal it to you?"

"Yes, it did. But I don't want you to be out there all alone!" Elle said, aggravated. "James, I just couldn't live with myself if I knew that you were out there, having night terrors, without me being there to comfort you. I don't want to not know whether you are dead or alive, and I just know that you wouldn't write or call. So I'm coming with you!"

"You won't be safe!" James yelled, jumping up.

"Is everything okay?" A nurse asked.

"No, get out and close the door, we're having a private discussion." James said quickly and calmly.

The nurse complied instantly.

Elle glared at him.

James glared back.

"You can't make me stay." Elle said with a dark tone.

"Yes I can." James replied with a tone darker than hers. "I can do just about anything, Elspeth."

"James, you're not even giving me a choice!" She shouted, feeling a small twinge of fear rising in her gut.

"Because I already know what you'd choose! And you're choosing it now! I need to keep you safe!" James shouted back, running his hands through his hair.

"And this is keeping me safe? Leaving me here, where all the danger happened? How will they know you've left? Or worse, what if they come for me, and try to get the information of your whereabouts from me? I doubt they'll ask nicely. _Think_ , James!"

He looked at her, heart pounding, blood boiling, mind racing, eyes piercing. He knew that she knew she had him cornered. There was only one way he could think of keeping her safe, and it killed him inside.

He cursed in Russian, calling himself the worst names possible.

He turned around, not daring to show his true expression, and quickly erased any evidence of tears. The room was quiet for a good three minutes, the air so thick with tension that you had to cut it with the sharpest knife possible.

"Okay." He said softly. "Fine." He said, turning to face her. "You win."

She smiled victoriously. "Where are we going?"

"I was thinking of England." He said with a small smile. _"She'd like England."_ "Not the city parts, though. That's what they'd expect. Large crowds can hide a person well, but the country parts are less obvious."

She smiled even more now. "Could be fun."

He nodded and smiled with her. "Yeah, you'll like it there."

"Will you?" She asked.

"Elle, as long as I'm with you, I'll be happy anywhere." He said sincerely.

They left D.C. quietly and quickly as soon as Elle was fit to leave the hospital.

They were in London, England the next day and in Staithes, North Yorkshire, England the next.

* * *

 **Hardest Part. (Laura Welsh) Chapter 11.**

It was a few weeks until before they found a place for them reside until they ever needed to move again. It was a small place, but perfect for laying low. Elle dyed her hair black and had it cut short. James didn't like it, but he knew it was for the best.

Elle chose the alias Lucy Snow and James went with Morgan Snow. They decided to pretend to be a newly married couple who were spontaneous and loved to live in different places. Any questions asked about where they're from, they'd say "everywhere."

Something had changed between Elle and James since their argument at the hospital. They were speaking less and fighting more. The one who usually started the fights was James. All Elle needed to do was ask a simple question, and it made her scared of speaking to him altogether. Little did she know that this was James' plan. He was trying to push her away, so it would be easier for him to leave her in England and escape to Germany.

She figured this out after two months of living in England.

She had gotten a job at the local library as a clerk, one night she came home to find James asleep on the sofa and dinner on the table.

She smiled and walked over to him. She knelt beside him and gently kissed the top of his head.

He mumbled something in German in his sleep. _"Austritt."_

She pulled up a translation app on her phone and typed it in. "Ostrit," she typed.

 _We do not recognize "ostritt." Do you mean: Austritt?_

She shrugged and tapped on the word.

" _Austritt. German. Translation: Leaving, Escape, Run Away."_

She bit her lip. He must be dreaming in German.

" _Ich verlasse, Elle."_ James mumbled, again in his sleep. _"Safe."_

She understood "Safe," and "Ich," but she typed "verlasse" into her translator.

" _Leaving."_

She dropped her phone, which, of course, woke James up.

"Elle? Wha time izzit?" James said, yawning.

"You're leaving?" Elle had no thoughts of being calm or beating around the subject.

James' eyes snapped open. Oh... no...

"What?" He asked, jumping up and crossing his arms. "Where did you get a stupid idea like that?" Trying to be mean, as he usually did, yet failing because he was too surprised that she found out.

"Stupid? How about you try _not talking in your sleep_ , you unbelievable moron!" She yelled.

" _Der Schiss!"_ James said aloud to himself.

Elle marched over to stand right in front of him.

"Same to you, der schiss head!" Elle snapped.

James blinked in surprise. "You never swear." He stated in shock.

"I've never been this mad!" She explained, yet still angry.

"Elle, I'm trying to protect you." He said, feebly.

"You've been planning this since D.C., haven't you?" She accused.

James stepped back. No way of getting out of this now. "Yes." He said softly.

"You-!" Elle stuttered, feeling more rage build up in her. _"Putain bastard!"_ She nearly screamed.

James froze. Was she speaking... _French?_

" _Salaud incroyable!"_ She yelled at him. _"Dire que je tombias pour vous."_

James' heart jumped. He had nothing to say. He was in awe. He wished he hadn't tried to push her away and make her hate him; but instead, he wished he learned more about her, like he was tonight.

"I-..." He tried to speak. What was he going to say?

"What?" She snapped, tears coming to her eyes.

"I didn't know you could speak French." He said softly, stepping slowly toward her. "I didn't know that if I got you this angry, you would start swearing like I do when I'm just angry."

She watched him like a hawk.

"I did know, that if I left you before I got you settled here, it would rip your heart out. All I could think about was your protection, I never truly considered your feelings."

"You were trying to be nice?" She asked in a spat.

Looking at her now, how could he leave? There was so much he wanted to learn about her now. How did she learn how to speak French? How did she know what "Der Schiss" meant? Most importantly, how can he get her to not be mad at him anymore.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked with an angry tone.

"Because, I want to know how I can set things right with you."

"Before you leave?" She growled.

"I'm not leaving unless I need to." He said with full honesty.

"Liar." She snapped.

"I'm not lying."

"Yes, you are."

"Faith, I promise you from every real part of me, I am not lying to you."

She looked at him, this time without her piercing eyes.

"Prove it." She said.

"I am." He said, taking her hand and kneeling.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked.

"Proving it." He said gently, "just let me and listen."

Elle huffed.

"Faith," James began, thinking of how this better not sound like a marriage proposal... then it came to him. "I am very very very very sorry for the way I acted ever since we got to England. Especially since you were the one who took me in, when I shouldn't have been welcomed into anyone's home. You clothed me, fed me, and cared for me as if I wasn't a perfect stranger. You showed more love toward me than I've felt for... I don't know how many years. You even promoted me to your platonic boyfriend, remember that?"

Elle nodded, crying now.

He smiled. "So, Elle, how about we patch this up? Will you still take me as your platonic boyfriend or more? Whatever you decide, it's fine with me. All I'm really asking for is your forgiveness."

Elle nodded, still crying.

He stood up and pulled her to him and hugged her.

"Sorry for all the names I called you." She said, her voice thick from crying.

"Don't be, I deserved it." He said, running his fingers through her hair. "I miss your long hair." He said with a sigh.

"You know I had to cut it." She said with a small giggle.

"I know, I can still miss it." He said, pulling away a little to look at her.

"Why?" She asked, softly.

"Because you look like a different person with this hair. I like you, not this Lucy Snow." He said with a small sigh.

"Lucy Snow is me." She said with a quirked brow.

"No she isn't. Lucy snow has black and short hair and is a vagabond. Elspeth Slain is the girl who saved me." He said, kissing her forehead. "Elspeth Slain is the girl who amazes me."

Elle's breath hitched and her heart began to pound.

"I didn't know I was that special to you." She stammered.

"How could you?" He asked with a light chuckle. "I was trying to push you away for the past 2 month. Which killed me inside. But now, I have to tell you what I honestly feel about you, I might never get another chance."

"How do you feel about me?"

"Elle, I feel like I love you. But I'm not sure it's been long enough to say it honestly."

Elle's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting an answer with the word "love" in it.

"I-..." She didn't know how to respond. She could feel her heart pounding. "I feel like I love you too, James." She said, sincerely.

He smiled adoringly at her and softly kissed her cheek.

Elle smiled back, stood on her toes, and gently kissed him on the lips.

James didn't know how to react. He couldn't think properly. Before he knew it, he was grabbing her and kissing her back. His hands gently pulled her closer to him and the kiss turned from gentle to desperate.

Elle's hands slid from his waist to his back, causing him to let out a moan.

James pulled away, breathing heavily and looking at her with dark eyes filled with lust.

"We probably shouldn't go any further." He said with a husky voice that made Elle feel hot and and her skin feel extra sensitive to his touch.

"Probably." She agreed with a soft whisper that sent chills throughout James' body.

"I mean," James said with a small squeak in his voice and he tried to think clearly and logically. "We might end up ruining what we have now...?"

"What do we have now that might be ruined?" Elle asked, pushing hair away from his face.

His knees felt weak, was that normal?

"I-..." All of his logical thought process was gone. He closed his eyes to try to think but all that came to head was static. _"La dracu."_ He husked, took her hand, and led her up the stairs to their bedroom.

* * *

 **Sigh No More. (Mumford and Sons) Chapter 12.**

Elle awoke the next morning to lips kissing her shoulder and a pair of arms wrapped around her, one of them, metal. She smiled and turned to see James grinning at her.

"Hi." He greeted with a sweet smile.

"Hi." She greeted, mirroring his smile.

"Sleep well?" He asked, playfully kissing her nose.

She nodded. "Did you?"

"Yes." He replied, placing soft kisses all over her face. "I had amazing dreams and feel more relaxed than I have felt in over a month."

"Really? I wonder what caused that." She said playfully.

He chuckled. "Hmmm... I wonder that as well."

Elle giggled as he rolled them over.

Days passed and turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Before they knew it, they had been in England for three months. It was beautiful bliss, living in England. But they knew they couldn't stay. When they were approaching their fourth month, they made their plans and moved to Aviano, Italy.

Again, they chose alias's. They became Amber and Peter Dulce, honeymooners looking for a romantic getaway from their annoying parents. Before they moved from England, Elle dyed her hair blonde and James dyed his hair a lighter shade of brown.

Elle got a job as a barista, while James got a job as a busboy.

Their new temporary home was a tiny one room house.

They hardly fought in Italy. Everything was peaceful and easygoing.

The only times they fought was when James was sure they had been caught by the government and Elle was sure that it was just somebody wondering why they were there, or when Elle was talking to a co-worker that James didn't like because he was being to flirty with her.

They only stayed in Italy for a month and a half. Then they moved to Switzerland.

They never stayed in one place for too long in Switzerland. At the most, one week per village. They lived off of fruit, vegetables, canned meals, and backpack meals that resembled military rations. They back-packed in the mountains for the majority of the time.

Then it got cold.

"When c-can w-we st-st-stay in-in a h-hotel?" Elle asked one particularly cold night, wrapped in their sleeping bag and getting as close as she can to their fire without burning the bag.

James felt sorry for her, he rushed over and wrapped his not-metal arm around her.

"I'm sorry, Elle." He said, kissing her hat and scarf covered head, almost chuckling at it. "I know it's cold, but we need to stay hidden. It should be warmer tomorrow. If it isn't, we'll find the nearest hotel and lodge there for a night or two, okay?"

Elle sighed and nodded. "Okay."

After a year in Switzerland, they went to Poland and spent a week there, slowly making their way to Belarus, then Latvia, then Estonia, then Finland, then they stowed hopped a plane and flew to Greece.

This all happened in six months. They had been traveling nonstop for a year and eight months.

"I always wanted to travel the world." Elle said one night, as they were cuddled up in the bed of a hotel they were staying in for their first night in Greece.

"Really?" James responded, tracing imaginary lines in the ceiling with his eyes.

"Yeah, but I never thought I would get the chance."

"Well, you're welcome." James teased.

"This really wasn't what I imagined." She said with a giggle and turning to face him.

"We never really get what we imagine, do we?" James asked a quirked brow.

Elle shrugged. "Sometimes we do."

"Name one." He challenged.

Elle grinned mischievously. "Do I have to?"

James grinned back. "Oh really?" He knew exactly what she was thinking.

She nodded, and squealed with laughter when he rolled them over.

"I love you." He said before kissing her.

Elle smiled into the kiss. Remembering the first time he said it.

They were in Italy, and had just had a fight about her coworker being too nice to her.

To say James was the jealous type would be putting it lightly.

"Elle? You still here?" He said, studying her.

She smiled up at him. "I'm still here." She sighed. "Just remembering things."

He grinned and kissed her again. "Marry me." He whispered in her ear.

"What?" She pulled away to look at him. Was he serious?

"Will you marry me?" He asked, watching her carefully.

She wanted to say yes. "Can we get married?"

He shrugged. "If we have fake I.D.'s and nobody knows I'm a fugitive, yes."

"So, it wouldn't really be legal."

He shrugged again. "Is that a problem?"

"No..."

He smiled. "So... Will you, Elspeth Slain, with a different name, become my wife?"

She laughed. "Yes!"

He sighed heavily and laughed with her.

They were married as Nathaniel Tree and Jessica Smith in a small chapel in Dublin, Ireland, December, 19, 2014.

They laughed together every time they called each other Mr. or Mrs. Tree.

They only stayed in Ireland for a week and then went to Iceland.

Throughout their time traveling around the world, they became incredibly in sync with each other. They knew what the other was thinking as soon as they saw their face, they knew when the other needed a rest just by the way they carried themselves, and they knew when one was feeling the need for the other just by a look. They knew learned more about each other in two years, than some couples did in five.

When Elle was angry, she spoke French. A habit she learned from her mother.

When James was angry, he spoke Russian, Romanian, German, and sometimes, not at all.

When Elle was hungry, she chewed her bottom lip.

When James was hungry, he would just state it and get easily irritated after about an hour if he wasn't fed by then.

When Elle was sad, she wouldn't speak much and bite her nails, and sometimes she would cry.

When James was sad, he would go to Elle and flop on her.

When they fought, they'd separate for a few minutes to calm down. Everything would be forgiven by the time they came together.

They stayed in Iceland until May. Everything was peaceful until they saw Captain America chasing down a Hydra agent that had been following them since Latvia.

They moved from Iceland to Japan, stayed there for a week, then moved from Japan to Australia.

* * *

 **Home. (Daughter) Chapter 13.**

James had become more on edge since Iceland. He became more quiet and seemed as if he was having internal battles with himself. Elle understood why he was this way. It was a close call in Iceland. He wasn't ready to see Steve just yet. Especially if he's under orders to take him in, what would they do to Elle? She became a criminal the moment she took him into her apartment.

He had to do something. The only thing he could think of was going to hurt both of them. Physically and emotionally.

He looked at her, sleeping on their bed in their shabby apartment in Australia. Her hair was now long enough to just reach her elbows. He smiled, she looked so beautiful and peaceful.

He didn't know if he could do it. But he also didn't know if he could keep her safe while she was with him.

"Bucky?" Elle called softly.

James turned his head and smiled. "Elle?"

"Will you be coming to bed soon?" She asked.

He sighed. "Soon, just thinking about where we should go next."

"How about we think about it in the morning?" She murmured, dozing off.

"Okay." He said, climbing into bed and pulling her toward him. "Goodnight, Darling."

"Goodnight, Honey." She replied, raising her head and kissing him on the lips.

He felt like a monster, but what he was planning needed to be done.

"Elle?" He asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think about Russia?"

"It's a big Socialist country that kept you caged up like an animal." She said after a moment.

He chuckled. "What do you think of us going there for a while?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Why would you want to go there?"

"I want to show you where they kept me." He said, forcing back tears.

Elle gasped. "That's big of you, Bucky. Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I love you, Elle. I want you to see where I was controlled and locked up for years."

She placed a hand on his face and stroked it. "I love you too, and if it's important to you, then it's important to me. We'll go to Russia."

Then it was settled. They went to Russia a week later.

James barely noticed how Elle was acting when they were in Russia. She was happy, but alert to his emotions. She kept mentioning how she wished they could settle in a house in the middle of nowhere and have a family. He would smile at that and agree. They spent a couple weeks just touring landmarks and enjoying each other.

They reached the area that led to where he was kept, rented a tank to drive them up the mountain, and hiked to the rest of the way. Elle became so exhausted that James had to carry her the rest of the way. When they had reached the base, James rushed to get her inside.

The place was dark and cold. Elle looked around with horror and sadness on her face. James carried her to the main room, telling her about the others that were trained and enhanced like him. Seeing them in their tubes, Elle nearly screamed and fainted. James carried her to the mind wipe chair, and sat her in it. When she came to, James was doing something with the keypad of the wipe machine.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Nothing big, you'll find out when I'm done." He said, his heart pounding and his biological limbs feeling numb.

"James, I was thinking I should tell you something, do you think now is a good time?" Elle asked gently.

He looked at her. What would she have to tell him that he already didn't know? What she felt when she first saw him and knew who he was? What she was worried about when he asked her if it was okay if they went to Russia? Could he let her tell him what she needs to say before he did this inhumane thing to her? No, because then he wouldn't be able to.

"How about you tell me when we get back to the hotel and have warmed up, okay?" He suggested with a smile.

She smiled back. "Okay, that sounds wonderful." She said, moving to get out of the chair, James stopped her.

"No! No, don't get up. I don't think you're ready to move yet." He said, forcing himself to look only concerned for her stability.

"Okay." She said, a little worried about how he's acting. "James, are you okay?"

"I'm fine... it's just... this place, you know?"

She nodded, forcing herself to accept that answer. "Honey, whatever it is you're doing, you don't have to."

"I feel like I should."

"Why?"

"Because it'll protect us."

"What is it?"

"I'll show you when I'm done, it's hard to explain."

It was then that he finished. The wipe was reprogrammed to fit Elle's non-superhuman brain and body.

"I want to show you something." He said, strapping Elle in.

Elle looked up at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." He said, voice shaking.

"What are you going to do to me?" Elle's heart was pounding now. "James, _please,_ don't."

"Elle, I'm trying to protect you." He said, crying now.

"James! I _need_ to tell you something and if I don't tell you now, you will regret it for rest of your life!" Elle was sobbing now.

James' mind raced. What could be so important?

Then she said it.

"I'm **pregnant!"** She cried. _**"Stop!"**_

Before he knew what he was doing, he was unstrapping her from the chair, collapsing to the floor, pulling her with him.

"I'm sorry!" He sobbed into the crook of her neck and shoulder. "I am so sorry, Faith. I promise I will never try to do that to you again!"

She pulled away and slapped him. "You promised me!" She cried. "You promised me you wouldn't leave me!"

He nodded, letting her take out her anger. He knew he deserved it.

"Why?" She asked, her face a mess of tears. "How could you even plan this?"

He couldn't find his voice, he just sat there.

"Answer me!" She screamed.

"Because I was scared!" He yelled back. "I wasn't thinking straight."

They didn't speak for a few days after that.

They stayed in Russia for a month and then moved to Germany.

Things were still slightly tense after the incident in Russia, but they were slowly mending. They settled down in Bucharest, Germany. They rented a small apartment until they could scrounge up enough money for a two bedroom. Elle found a job as a bank teller and James found a job as a mechanic. Life was peaceful, until James saw it. He was buying fruit in the market and saw how the man at the newsstand was eyeing him. He saw him looking at the paper and back at him.

James rushed over and looked at it.

" _James Buchanan Barnes Verdacht der Vereinten Nationen bombardiert zu haben."_

" _James Buchanan Barnes suspected to have bombed the United Nations."_

 _Der schiss._

He pulled out his phone and called Elle and began running to the apartment.

"Hallo?" Elle answered.

"Faith!" James said, sprinting now.

"Why are you calling me? I'm at work."

"Faith, shut up for one minute and just listen. I've been framed. I'm a suspect for a bombing!"

"... A what?"

"Apparently, someone who looks like me bombed the U.N.!"

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Elle, seriously." He said, climbing the wall of the apartment building. "I need you to get out of Germany, go to Paris, I'll meet you there if nobody gets to me first."

He could hear Elle breathing heavily.

"Elle, Darling, be strong. You knew this day would come."

"Okay."

"Get out of work, tell them that _Hagan_ was in an accident. Use the tears to your advantage."

"Okay." Her voice was shaking now.

"I love you."

"Meet you there." She now sounded distraught.

 _That's my girl._ He thought as he purposely dropped the phone.

He slipped into the apartment silently, only to find Captain America in their kitchen.

"Do you remember me?" Steve asked.

"I know your name is Steve, that's what I read at the museum." He lied.

"Bucky, I know you well enough to tell when you're lying." Steve said.

Of course he would.

All James could think of now was getting to Paris, but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

 ** _You can see what happens to Bucky next in Captain America: Civil War._**

 _ **For Elle, proceed to next chapter.**_

* * *

 **Hide and Seek. (Imogen Heap) Chapter 14.**

Elle made her way to Paris as soon as she could. She took her phone's battery and tossed the phone into a puddle and waited at the Eiffel Tower, just as they planned. If James didn't arrive in five hours, she was to go to London.

She waited for six hours, spent the night at a hotel, then proceeded to London the next morning.

She rented the cheapest flat she could find, just as they had planned, dyed her hair red, cut it to shoulder length, and immediately went job searching with her I.D. of Jessica Tree. She knew that if Bucky wasn't in London within a week, she'd better keep up on the news. Which she did.

She got a job as a bartender and waitress.

As she kept up with the news, she knew she wouldn't see her husband for a very long time. She knew that even if she never saw him again, she had a part of him growing inside her, a little more every day.

The months passed and she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. She named him James Buchanan.

Throughout the years, James Jr grew and looked more and more like his father. Everything was as peaceful as it could be.

Elle told little James, who she would call "Jimmy" in public and "Bucky" in private, all about his father, and showed him any good picture of James she could find.

Elle missed her husband. She hoped he was safe and that he could find her sometime in the future and meet their son.

The End?

* * *

Thank you for reading this! I had a lot of fun writing it, which is the point of writing. I do plan to write a sequel at some point. Until then, enjoy any other fanfics I write and post on here!

Sincerely, fanimaniac1912.


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